Intermediate

These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1 Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

If you have a DSLR camera, astro-imaging is an excellent and rewarding function to add to its repertoire. Take gorgeous and accurately guided shots of the night sky and of our nearest celestial neighbors in the solar system with our Orion Stars and Solar System Bundle and your DSLR camera! Our ED80T CF Triplet 80mm ED refractor, StarShoot AutoGuider, Deluxe Off-Axis Guider, and solid SkyView Pro GoTo mount combine forces with your DSLR camera to capture stunning skyscape images for you to share with friends and family. DSLR camera not included.

The included ED80T CF with its 480mm focal length (f/6.0) and fast, unobstructed triplet objective featuring ED optics virtually eliminates chromatic aberrations making the ED80T CF an excellent candidate for astrophotography use when used with the SkyView Pro GoTo EQ mount and your DSLR camera. The relatively small size and light weight of the ED80T CF telescope makes it perfectly portable for imaging expeditions to dark-sky locations. The retractable dew shield makes the ED80T CF even more compact for storage and transport, with a length of 14.3" with the dew shield fully retracted. The telescope measures 18.25" when the dew shield is fully extended to minimize peripheral glare and dew accumulation while imaging.

Designed for the serious amateur astronomer, the included heavy-duty Orion SkyView Pro GoTo mount offers stability and the precision control you need to acquire amazing astro-images. With the included SkyView Pro GoTo system, this popular mount effortlessly guides your telescope to over 42,900 celestial gems, and accurately tracks them so you can take extended exposures. Other great features include an azimuth fine-adjustment and latitude scale for easier polar alignment, large lever locks for the right ascension and declination axes, and tripod leg extensions. The telescope mount accepts an optional polar-axis finder scope, and requires a 12V DC power supply for operation, such as the Orion Dynamo Pro.

The included Orion StarShoot AutoGuider provides a user-friendly, dedicated autoguiding system for long-exposure astrophotography. It’s compatible with the autoguider port on our SkyView Pro GoTo system, and comes with the software and cables needed to work right out of the box! The AutoGuider’s sensor is a high-resolution, 1/2" format 1.3-megapixel CMOS monochrome chip, with 5.2µ x 5.2µ pixels for highly accurate guiding. The chip resides in a super-compact, anodized aluminum housing that measures just 2.5" wide by 2.35" long and weighs a mere 4.4 ounces. It has a 1.25" nosepiece that can be removed to access a T-thread interface.

Rounding out the Orion Stars and Solar System Astrophotography Telescope Bundle is our Orion Deluxe Off-Axis Guider, which lets you image and guide with the same telescope! This streamlined solution will reduce setup time, save weight on your SkyView Pro GoTo mount and eliminate any tracking problems associated with mirror shift or tube flexure. The Deluxe Off-Axis Guider accommodates most imaging cameras and telescopes with sufficient inward focus travel (59mm required).

If you wish to use the ED80T CF refractor telescope for visual applications between DSLR astrophotography sessions, a 2" Orion Refractor Mirror Star Diagonal is included. The ED80T CF will amaze you with sharp, clear views of celestial delicacies. You can use either 2" or 1.25" telescope eyepieces thanks to a step-down 2"-to-1.25" adapter.

This capable astrophotography package is offered at a great value - you save more than $275 compared to buying each included item separately!

The Orion Stars and Solar System Astrophotography Bundle includes:

Orion ED80T CF 80mm refractor telescope optical tube assembly (OTA)

Orion SkyView Pro GoTo EQ equatorial mount and tripod

Orion StarShoot AutoGuider

Orion Deluxe Off-Axis Guider

Orion 2" Refractor Telescope Mirror Star Diagonal

Note: DSLR camera not included

Warranty

Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for one year from date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact us at 800-676-1343.

Warning

Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.

User level

Level 1 Beginner - Suited for a wide range of uses, these telescopes are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required. Very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment but just want to take a look. Any of these scopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulas! Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 2 Intermediate - These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1: Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 3 Advanced - These scopes provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. They have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but are but on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These scopes will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Level 4 Expert - Expert telescopes offer uncompromising optical and mechanical quality for the most demanding amateur astronomer. They may be technically involved or designed for specialized use, such as astrophotography or detailed deep sky observation. They carry a premium price, but are designed to provide the ultimate performance in the field. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece.
Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens.
Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Optical diameter

For telescopes, the optical diameter (also known as aperture) is the size of a telescope's main light-collecting lens or primary mirror, measured in millimeters or inches. Telescopes with larger optical diameters collect more light, which leads to an increase in brightness and image resolution compared to smaller instruments.

For binoculars, the optical diameter (also known as objective lens diameter) is the size of each of the front-facing objective lenses of a binocular measured in millimeters. Binoculars with larger objective lenses collect more light, which increases image resolution and brightness. Binoculars with larger objective lenses are recommended for low light situations, and binoculars with at least 50mm or larger objective lenses are recommended for pleasing astronomical observations at night.

Focal length

The distance from the center of a curved mirror or lens at which parallel light rays converge to a single point. The focal length is an inherent specification of a mirror or lens and is one of the factors in determining resultant magnification for a telescope (along with the focal length of the eyepiece being used).

Focal ratio

The focal ratio of an optical system is the ratio of a telescope's focal length to its aperture. Short focal ratios (f/5, f/4.5) produce wide fields of view and small image scales, while long focal lengths produce narrower fields of views and larger image scales.

Coatings

Binocular lenses and prisms are often coated with anti-reflective material to minimize light loss as light travels through the multiple optical surfaces of a typical binocular. Coatings help maximize the amount of light transmitted through each glass surface of a binocular, so as much light as possible reaches the observer's eyes to provide a bright and sharp image.

Good lenses are at least "fully coated," with a single layer of magnesium fluoride coating applied to each air-to-glass lens surface. Multiple layers of coatings are even more effective; the term "multi-coated" means one or more air-to-glass lens surface has multiple coatings. "Fully multi-coated" optics are even better, meaning all lens surfaces have multiple layers of anti-reflective coatings applied for maximum light transmission and optimal image quality.

Optics type

Newtonian reflectors will have either a spherical shaped mirror, which is less expensive to produce, or a higher quality parabola, which does not result in spherical aberration. Cassegrain telescopes routinely use spheres in addition to other lenses in the optical path to correct for residual spherical aberration.
Refractors use a series of lenses to provide a clear image. Designs range from a standard air-spaced doublet (two lenses in a row) to exotic designs such as oil-spaced triplets and 4-element multi group lenses.

Glass material

Refractors use glass lenses to focus the light, and the glass material plays an important role in the quality of the resulting image. Standard achromatic refractors routinely use Crown and Flint for the two elements, but more expensive apochromatic refractors can use ED (extra low dispersion) glass for one or more of the lenses. Reflector mirrors are made from glass with different levels of thermal expansion. Standard mirrors are made from material such as Soda-Lime Plate glass and BK-7 glass. Glass with Pyrex or other low thermal expansion material will not change shape as dramatically during the cool-down period, resulting in more stable images during this period.

Resolving power

The theoretical resolving power of a telescope can be calculated with the following formula: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 4.56 divided by aperture of telescope (in inches). In metric units, this is: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 116 divided by aperture of telescope (in millimeters). Note that the formula is independent of the telescope type or model, and is based only upon the aperture of the telescope. So the larger the telescope's aperture, the more it is capable of resolving. This is important to keep in mind when observing astronomical objects which require high resolution for best viewing, such as planets and double stars. However, it is usually atmospheric seeing conditions (not the telescope) which limits the actual resolving power on a given night; rarely is resolution less than one arc-second possible from even the best viewing locations on Earth.

Lowest useful magnification

Lowest useful magnification is the power at which the exit pupil becomes 7mm in diameter. Powers below this can still be reached with the telescope to give wider fields of view, but the image no longer becomes brighter at a lower power. This is due to the fact that the exit pupil of the telescope (the beam of light exiting the eyepiece) is now larger than the average person's dark adapted pupil, and no more light can fit into the eye.

Highest useful magnification

The highest practical limit is different from the often used "highest theoretical magnification" specification. The "theoretical" limit generally is 50x the aperture of the scope in inches (2x the aperture in mm). So for example, an 80mm refractor is capable of 160x, and a 10" telescope is theoretically capable of 500x magnification.
But after approximately 300x, theory breaks down and real world problems take over. The atmosphere above us is constantly in motion, and it will distort the image seen through the telescope. This effect may not be noticeable at lower powers, but at higher powers the atmosphere will dramatically blur the object, reducing the quality of the image. On a good night (a night where the air above is steady and the stars aren't twinkling), the practical upper limit of a large telescope is 300x, even thought the theoretical limit may be much higher. This doesn't mean the scope will never be able to reach those higher "theoretical" powers - there will be that rare night where the atmosphere is perfectly still and the scope can be pushed past it's practical limit, but those nights will be few and far between.

Astro-imaging capability

The astro-photographic capability of the telescope is based on the style, stability, and accuracy of the mount and tripod. Telescopes on either very lightweight mounts or non tracking mounts (such as Dobsonians) are capable of only very short exposures such as lunar photographs. If a motor drive is attached to an equatorial mount, even a small lightweight mount is capable of capturing some planetary detail. Larger EQ mounts that utilize very precise tracking and excellent stability are capable of longer exposure deep-sky photography.

Warranty

This warranty gives you specific legal rights. It is not intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.

Orders received by 1pm Eastern Time for in-stock items ship the same business day. Orders received after 1pm will ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.

A per-item shipping charge (in addition to the standard shipping and handling charge) applies to this product due to its size and weight. This charge varies based on the shipping method.

Designed for use with 400mm to 660mm focal length refractor telescopes with focal ratios of f/5 to f/7.5, this Field Flattener lets you enjoy the full potential of your fast refractor telescope for astrophotography. Fully multi-coated optics.

For deep sky observing in light-polluted areas this 1.25" Orion SkyGlow Broadband Telescope filter is perfect. It blocks the most common wavelengths of light pollution for increased contrast and better views.

A complete assortment of accessories for your telescope, the Orion Premium Telescope Accessory Kit comes with five Sirius eyepieces, a Shorty Barlow, and six filters for lunar and planetary observing, and a case. Everything you need, all in one kit!

This 1.25" Orion SkyGlow Astrophotography Filter is designed for deep sky astrophotography in light polluted skies with a CCD or DSLR camera. It enhances contrast and preserves neutral color balance, eliminating the need for extra color processing.

For accurate polar alignment of the SkyView Pro equatorial telescope Mount, the Orion Polar Alignment Scope is perfect. It threads into the telescope mount's housing along the Right Ascension axis and makes polar aligning a cinch.

Having trouble viewing details on the Moons surface? This neutral-density eyepiece filter reduces glare so you can see more detail and surface features. The 1.25" Orion 13% Transmission Moon Filter is especially useful with large aperture telescopes.

The Orion EZ Finder Deluxe II Telescope Reflex Sight gives you 4 different patterns to choose from to make aiming your telescope easy. Features both red and green LEDs for easy aiming at night or during the day, and 5 different brightness levels.

This solar filter fits the Orion StarMax, Apex 90, and Meade ETX-90. The 4.10" Orion Full Aperture Solar Filter is a must for safely viewing or photographing the sun's surface. Provides more contrast and more natural color than Mylar filters.

The 1.25" Universal Camera Adapter allows attachment of a camera body to a reflector or refractor telescope for either prime-focus or eyepiece-projection photography. It requires a T-ring for your particular brand of camera (sold separately).

The 1.25" Variable Universal Camera Adapter slides into the telescope focuser and connects to a camera t-ring for prime-focus or eyepiece-projection photography. The sliding barrel design lets you vary the magnification without changing eyepieces.

Orion offers a rugged, fully padded, soft custom case to fit just about every telescope we stock. It provides an easy way to transport and store your telescope. Made from heavy-duty water-resistant material and fits the SkyView Pro Mount.

At Orion, we are committed to sharing our knowledge and passion for astronomy and astrophotography with the amateur astronomy community. Visit the Orion Community Center for in-depth information on telescopes, binoculars, and astrophotography. You can find astrophotography "how to" tips and share your best astronomy pictures here. Submit astronomy articles, events, and reviews, and even become a featured Orion customer!